Kory Mariani HUMA 2400-004 Mike Wilson 04/23/13 Synthesis During the course of the religious diversities class

I participated in, I feel I have gained a greater knowledge on the faiths in the United States and the diversity each group has brought to the American way of life. Through the course, we researched and discussed major religions and many other smaller religious groups. We discussed in detail the many different beliefs and cultures. We even spoke about common misconceptions in each of these religions that can lead the public to view these groups in a negative way. These discussions and assignments have helped me to identify my own misconceptions about these faiths and their cultures. Through these assignments I have been able to identify how strongly I feel about issues these religions face and see how they affect my reactions to the articles I have read. These assignments have helped me broaden my understanding of the different religions, Islam in particular. I mention Islam because I had held a common belief (that I assume many Americans have as well) that a majority, if not all Muslims are radicals and often use their religion for violence. This was explored in our class discussions and was shown to be completely false. Many Muslims in America today actually protest the radical groups that use Islam as an excuse for violence, and even seek to repair the damage to their faith being done by these terrorists. An example I was able to find was an article talking about an event happening in and around the Washington D.C. area. This campaign is currently placing posters on city busses and in metro stations featuring Muslims sharing their religious views and struggles in life, using the word Jihad. The action is being

taken as an attempt to reclaim the word jihad from its constant use by radical Muslims and anti-Muslim groups, as a declaration of war or violence in Gods name. The group placing these posters is trying to teach people that jihad is a central tenant to their faith and how it is really used in the lives of American Muslims. Another Example of this misconception I found was an article about a man named James Holmes who was responsible for a shooting that took place in a Colorado movie theatre. During his time in prison, a source claimed he had converted to the faith of Islam and had been using the often misused phrase of jihad to justify what he had done. The source stated he had gone to extremes to ensure he fully converted to this faith by following a Muslim diet, reading the Koran and praying multiple times a day. In a quote from this source it stated he had brainwashed himself into believing he was on his own personal jihad attacking infidels. I found this article to not only shine a light on the fact that this term is still being misused, but that Muslims who practice their faith even in Prison, still fight against it. The Muslims in the prison with Holmes actually spoke out against his actions saying that they were very unhappy with him using Islam in this way and that they dont want their religion to be connected to that awful shooting. After looking at these two articles, I can say I now know that Muslims are a peaceful people and their religion is being twisted by all the bad publicity it receives. I have also come to know that they make up a large population in the United States which I was not aware of before. Aside from learning about Islam I have also learned about issues that some religions face and have learned to critically examine my own reactions to these articles. An example I found was an article talking about many different pro gay and lesbian

organizations that are calling on the Catholic Church to change their policy towards gay members. The article also spoke about the election of the new pope this year and how it is raising the hope for many members of the LGBT community, for new discussions on this matter. A few of the directors were quoted in this article saying that they feel the church has not been paying as much attention to the issue as they need to. Although this issue has many supporters, I noticed my reaction was against it. This reaction was based on some of my own personal beliefs. After re-analyzing the paper and discussing it, I know that the religious texts and information I have come to know and study, can and are often interpreted in a wide variety of ways that allow such thinking. This has opened my eyes on how others view and think about these issues. Overall I do believe this courses assignments and discussions have helped me to grow in my understanding of other faiths. The readings and conversations in my course have helped me to understand a great deal of the Muslim faith and helped me to know what I was missing before. The discussions on my reactions to the papers were helpful to broaden my views when it comes to the beliefs of others. These assignments have helped me look closely at the religions in America and how they have shaped our society and standards.